The Internet is everywhere. Wireless networks with Internet connectivity can now be found not just in the offices of engineering companies and academic institutions, but in coffee shops, airports, and even supermarkets. Millions of people connect to the Internet each day over public wireless networks, performing transactions that range from browsing reviews of products to checking email to managing financial affairs. While some of these transactions will cause little harm if divulged, an attacker who snoops on a purchase or donation may be able to steal credit card data and other personal information. Any sensitive transaction conducted over a public wireless network puts the user at risk of having their accounts compromised and their identity stolen. Despite this risk, many users still routinely conduct transactions of all types over public wireless networks.
Unfortunately, traditional systems for securing computing devices against threats found on networks may not be able to secure users against the risks posed by attackers snooping on wireless network traffic. Traditional firewalls and other such applications may inspect incoming and outgoing traffic to a user's device but may not be able to affect what happens to traffic once it has left the device. Many websites use encryption ciphers to increase the difficulty of spying on sensitive traffic, but not all websites offer this option. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for detecting illegitimate devices on wireless networks.